As criticism around the Epstein files intensifies, President Donald Trump appears to be reaching for new ways to redirect public attention—and this time, he’s turning to wild accusations against some of America’s most well-known Black figures.
In a recent post on Truth Social, Trump alleged—without evidence—that Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, Al Sharpton, and Vice President Kamala Harris were illegally paid by the Democratic Party for endorsements during past campaigns. His claim? That Beyoncé was paid $11 million for simply appearing on stage, which he followed by accusing others of pocketing money “for doing absolutely NOTHING.”
These claims come on the heels of Trump allies, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, suggesting former President Barack Obama committed “treason”—another baseless accusation that fell flat after bipartisan Senate reports dismissed any wrongdoing.
Now, Trump seems to be escalating his rhetoric. In the same post, he calls for legal action against these celebrities, claiming “YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PAY FOR AN ENDORSEMENT,” and suggesting the Democratic Party has broken federal law.
However, official federal campaign records and fact-checkers tell a different story. The Harris campaign did pay Beyoncé’s production company—but for production expenses tied to a campaign event, not for an endorsement. Similar records show payments to Oprah’s and Sharpton’s organizations were event-related and fully disclosed, with no evidence of illegal activity.
Despite this, Trump continues to repeat the $11 million claim with no substantiation, saying only that “somebody showed me something.” Fact-checkers like PolitiFact and FactCheck.org have found no basis for the figures he promotes.
Critics argue that Trump is deploying these accusations as a distraction from more pressing legal and political challenges—namely, renewed public scrutiny around the Jeffrey Epstein case. As public attention intensifies, particularly surrounding Epstein’s potential connections to high-profile figures, Trump’s unfounded accusations seem less like genuine concerns and more like attempts to muddy the conversation.
Whether the claims are a tactic or a sign of deteriorating judgment, they underscore the continued blurring of fact and fiction within Trump’s political narrative—and the potential danger of disinformation when wielded for distraction.